8 of John Paul Jones' Best Led Zeppelin Moments

posted by Andrew Magnotta -

2 months ago

Led Zeppelin bassist/keyboardistJohn Paul Jones is known to most Zeppelin fans as the man who held the band together musically during its most psychedelic sonic trips. Someone's got to be the (relatively) sober one, right?

But Jones was more than Jimmy Page's de facto first mate. Unassuming both on and off the stage, Jones' bass playing was far more ambitious and memorable than you might realize if you tend to focus on other instruments when you get the Led out.

And while Led Zeppelin was a blues group at heart, the band's catalog wouldn't have endured so long had Zeppelin not so fully explored its band members' talent.

Each Zeppelin album features boundary-pushing songs that included various stringed instruments and in some cases keyboards, touching on a variety of musical genres.

As Zeppelin got more progressive, Jones' versatility and keen arranging/songwriting abilities were more crucial to what the band was creating.

Whether he was bringing the thump on the bass guitar, going to the country on a mandolin or launching the band to outer space on the keys, John Paul Jones was Zeppelin's framework, its compass and at times its engine.

Check out our list of JPJ songs below and let us know what you would add!

8. "Good Times Bad Times," Led Zeppelin (1969)

7. "In the Light," Physical Graffiti (1975)

6. "The Rain Song," Houses of the Holy(1973)

5. "Since I've Been Loving You," Led Zeppelin III (1970)

4. "Kashmir," Physical Graffiti, (1975)

3. "How Many More Times," Led Zeppelin (1969)

2. "No Quarter," Houses of the Holy (1973)

1. "Dazed and Confused," Led Zeppelin (1969)

There's a reason this song could often go on for 20 - 30 minutes. That bass line.